So how did this happen?

To explain that, we first needed to go over how the child came to hold a flower in their hand.

About an hour ago.

The child, who had come out to the garden with the knight commander, didn’t look very happy.

Rather than being angry, should we say they were upset that the already scarce time alone with Aeli had been intruded upon?

-…Adi. I may not be able to talk or hold hands directly, but Mom can speak to you like this from beside you.

Aeli said, approaching the side of the child who was walking listlessly with a long face.

“……”

-Or should we make a code? Mom asks questions and Adi answers. For yes, clench a fist with one hand, for no, clench both hands.

“……”

-How about it?

……Clench.

The child who had been dragging their feet hesitated for a moment before clenching their fist. Only the right fist was clenched tightly where Aeli was standing.

What could be done even if it wasn’t to their liking?

If spoken aloud, it would look like the child was talking to themselves, so anything that might seem strange had to be avoided.

‘But if we keep using fist clenching as a code, it’s only a matter of time before a trained knight notices…’

Surely, a five-year-old clenching their fist a bit for one day wouldn’t arouse much suspicion.

I heard it’s good for babies’ development to clench their fists and do ‘jam jam’, maybe that could be used as an excuse. They’re still young after all.

‘As for the code… we can just change it every day.’

Thinking this, they walked around the garden once, and where the child stopped wasn’t the usual place they went to escape others’ gazes.

In the center of the garden, rarely open and well-ventilated.

The child stared blankly at the flowers blooming in the flowerbed near the fountain, then crouched down in front of them.

-Do you like that flower?

The child blinked and clenched their right fist.

-If I tell the gardener to bring it to your room, it will be decorated there by the time we return after having a snack.

Except for the wildflowers in the pot that were scattered when Aeli first cast magic, the child had never shown this much interest before.

Aeli caught the child’s attention by saying that if decorating the room wasn’t preferable, they could make a different kind of flower crown using that flower.

It was at that moment during such a conversation.

‘……?’

With the knight commander right nearby, Aeli, who was more on edge than usual while talking to the child, sensed something strange and secretly turned around.

-……Huh.

She saw the knight commander gesturing with his eyes towards Lutis, who was leaning against a tree in the distance.

Don’t tell me they’ve been watching like this every time we’ve come out for a walk?

Aeli, who kept clenching and unclenching her fist in bewilderment just as the child had done, rolled her eyes.

‘Didn’t you stop the surveillance? Why is he here when the knight commander is present?’

Is it because they don’t trust me? Aeli straightened her legs that had been crouched beside the child and stood up with a crooked expression.

Judging by the knight commander gesturing something to Lutis in the distance, he seemed to share Aeli’s opinion.

……Or maybe he was hinting that since Lutis had come all this way, he should at least have one conversation before leaving.

In fact, considering the knight commander’s temperament, the latter was more likely.

“Excuse me……”

-Gasp.

The attention that had been focused on where Lutis was suddenly turned to the child.

Aeli, startled, lowered her gaze and searched for where the child was with her eyes.

Since they had opened their mouth, it probably wasn’t directed at her, but she took a sharp breath out of nervousness nonetheless.

“Yes, ahem, ahem. ……Young master, did you call?”

The knight commander, who had also been in silent conversation with Lutis, cleared his throat and spoke.

The child hesitated and asked.

“This…… Can I take just one?”

“If you’re referring to that flower, everything and everyone within Rattliff Castle is under your jurisdiction.”

“……”

“……There’s no need for the future master to ask me if you want something.”

“But that’s later and right now it’s Father’s.”

“That…,”

“What if I get kicked out of the room I’m using now for breaking things as I please……”

And if I break this, it will hurt. The child added, but those words didn’t reach the ears of the three adults present.

The impact of what had been said just before was too tremendous.

-……,

Feeling a déjà vu similar to the child’s birthday a few months ago, Aeli’s insides began to boil.

After driving out all the servants from the annex and bringing them into the main building.

It was only natural for the child to feel anxious when they were just given this and that without being properly informed of anything.

Even Aeli, who had been with Lutis for over ten years, found it difficult to grasp his intentions, let alone an innocent young child who knew nothing.

“……”

The knight commander, at a loss for words, moved his lips but no proper sound came out.

Aeli turned her gaze to stare at Lutis, who was faintly visible behind a tree in the distance.

His expression wasn’t much different from Aeli’s when she first heard the child’s self-deprecating remarks.

Of course, there was no way the swordmaster Lutis hadn’t heard the conversation just now.

‘Go ahead and struggle under the weight of your guilt.’

Aeli bit her lip and turned her head.

Aeli had roughly guessed that it wasn’t because Lutis disliked the child.

Even so, that didn’t erase the hurt he had caused the child.

Also, the fact that he had left the situation unaddressed for so long, even after returning from the war, didn’t disappear.

Aeli thought that was reason enough for Lutis to be in pain.

Was she rubbing her forehead with her hand due to the churning in her stomach?

The child mumbled softly.

“This…… I want to give it……”

Aeli’s eyes widened as she realized that the muted part was meant to be her name, since the child had spoken while glancing this way.

Something flashed in her mind at that moment.

-Adi, did you want to give that to Mom?

The child clenched their right fist and nodded.

“Yellow…… lying……”

The child, after glancing at the knight commander, added.

I see, because the flower is the same color as your eyes. Since Lutis and the knight commander seemed too distracted to hear this conversation,

Aeli smiled faintly and asked the child.

-Thank you, it’s really pretty. But……

“……?”

-Actually, Mom would like it if Adi gave that flower to someone else instead of Mom.

“Mari…?”

-Hmm, well….. I’m going to count to three, can Adi turn around right away?

Having already gently uprooted a flower and holding it in hand.

The child, not seeming very enthusiastic, fidgeted with their dirt-covered hands before nodding with a dejected expression. Aeli placed both hands on the child’s shoulders and spoke.

-Alright then, one.

As the count decreased one by one, Aeli became certain.

The reason it was so regrettable that the two had been awkwardly killing time like this until now?

-Twoo.

It was simple. It was because they were only making things worse by being afraid to approach what could be easily resolved if they just took a step forward.

So if there was no opportunity…..

-Three.

Wasn’t it just a matter of creating one?

Aeli smiled brightly.

It was simultaneous with the child turning around.

Although it was far enough to be barely visible in the distance.

The child, meeting Lutis’ eyes for the first time, seemed to recognize at a glance that he was the father they had been looking for, and held their breath.

“……”

Thump thump.

How fiercely it was beating.

Even though she had only placed her hands on the child’s shoulders, Aeli chuckled as she felt the pulse throbbing under the skin.

Not expecting the child to suddenly turn around, Lutis was frozen in place, unable to even run away.

In fact, it was unbelievable that he, who should have noticed the young child’s movements early on, failed to hide himself.

‘The conversation he heard must have been quite shocking.’

If he hadn’t realized it late due to being dazed and failing to react in time, it would have been a wasted effort even if they had turned around.

Although it was a situation she had intended, Aeli, who hadn’t been entirely confident it would actually work, inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

-Adi.

“……”

-Do you remember the promise Mom made when you left the annex? That I would scold Dad as much as you were upset.

“……”

-Should we go give the flower to Dad?

The mere act of the child approaching with a smile would be nothing short of punishment for Lutis.

As he once did to her, he must have built a fence early on out of fear that the other person would hate and resent him.

He had always been like that. Despite acting as if not a drop of blood would come out if he were pricked, he was actually a very timid man.

-I guarantee Dad will be more scared if Adi goes directly to give him a scolding, rather than Mom scolding him on your behalf.

“But…… I’m small so even if I hit him it probably won’t hurt at all……”

-I’m not saying to hit him. Want to make a bet with Mom?

“……”

-If Adi just goes to Dad and says one word, from that moment on, Dad will become weaker than Adi. He absolutely won’t be able to win against Adi.

That’s how a child’s growth is.

From the moment you realize they’ve already grown this much while you weren’t looking, as you start to regret the moments you’ve missed and push yourself…

You reach a point where you can’t help but fulfill whatever they want, no matter what it is.

‘When it becomes so happy that even the fleeting moments of daily life become precious and unbearable.’

At some point, they all become daggers piercing your heart. In fact, it just takes time to realize it, but it starts from the moment the child approaches and speaks.

-……

Having experienced it herself, she couldn’t help but know.

So the child, upon hearing Aeli’s words, fluttered their eyelashes once before slowly taking a step.

Lutis, who had been watching this, finally turned to leave, but.

“Ah, no! Don’t go!”

As Lutis turned his back, the child finally shouted loudly and dashed off.

And,

Toddle toddle – Crash!

……They fell.

Tripping over their own feet.